Governor Phil Murphy

Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order Allowing Certain Outdoor Recreational Businesses and Community Gardens to Open with Social Distancing Measures in Place

05/18/2020

Governor Phil Murphy today signed Executive Order No. 147, allowing certain outdoor activities at recreational businesses, including archery ranges, batting cages, golf driving ranges, horseback riding, shooting ranges, and tennis clubs as well as community gardens to open with required social distancing measures in place. The Order takes effect on Friday, May 22 at 6:00 a.m.

“This action represents another gradual step on our road back to restart and recovery,” said Governor Murphy. “I’ve made it clear that data will inform our decisions, and we feel comfortable that we can begin to resume certain outdoor business operations and activities with social distancing measures in place.”

Outdoor Recreational Businesses: To limit physical interactions, the Order requires outdoor recreational businesses that reopen to limit capacity to 10 people at one time and implement reasonable restrictions that include:

  • Using electronic or telephone reservation and payment systems;
  • Prohibiting impermissible gatherings;
  • Installing physical barriers between employees and customers;
  • Limiting the use of equipment to one person;
  • Implementing social distancing measures in commonly used areas, including demarcation and signage;
  • Infection control and hygiene practices;
  • Providing sanitization materials to employees;
  • Frequent sanitization of high-touch areas; and
  • Limiting occupancy of restrooms.

Community Gardens: Governor Murphy’s Executive Order permits community gardens to reopen so long as they comply with the same restrictions implemented at parks under Executive Order No. 133.

All-Terrain Vehicle and Dirt Bike Rental Businesses: The Order allows all-terrain vehicle and dirt bike rental businesses to reopen to the public for “curb-side” pickup.  Such businesses must comply with the same restrictions required for non-essential retail businesses.

Golf Courses: The Order relaxes four of the restrictions on golf courses, allowing them to expand tee-times to four players, allow the use of forecaddies, offer club and equipment rentals, and reopen restrooms with disinfecting and hygiene protocols in place.

The Order also recommends, but does not order, that people wear a face covering while in public settings at outdoor recreational businesses and community gardens when social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

The order further clarifies that amusements parks and arcades, and other places of public amusement located at these businesses remain closed, including places of public amusement that are located at a place otherwise authorized to be open by any executive order issued after March 21, 2020, such as a boardwalk.

A copy of Executive Order No. 147 can be found here.